Grey
by Scaevus
Summary: Percy and Annabeth didn't leave together in the House of Hades...Percy stayed behind to close the door, and Annabeth left. Now Percy's alone in the pit, where he meets the Order of the Dark Moon. Percy is thrust into a new world, where monsters aren't so bad. He becomes their leader, amassing an army to fight for monster rights. But he's not totally dark. He's grey. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

Percy Jackson watched the dark stone glimmer under the red haze. After sacrificing his life to save Annabeth's, he was taken in by the Order of the Dark Moon. The Order of the Dark Moon saved his life, granting him immortality in Tartarus and control over the legions of monsters that resided there. At first, Percy wanted nothing more than to escape to Annabeth and his family above the pit, but as the Prince, he couldn't leave that easily. It was hard for him to stay away from the pit for long, as it taxed his body and made him weak, so he was stuck training his army and making allies with the dark creatures that lived there.

Percy wasn't dark, but he was no longer light, either. He couldn't embrace heroism anymore, but at the same time, he wasn't ready to rule the Earth with 'eternal darkness' or some other dark theory. Percy was, in fact, simply grey. He was the median between light and dark.

Today was a day like any other, observing the training of his army and discussing recruiting options with his fellow allies. Percy loved his recruiting missions, where he would travel the pit to find strong allies to aid his army. They would have to join the Order of the Dark Moon, of course, which gave them certain benefits like protection from enemies. Sometimes it got complicated, with certain monsters holding grudges with others who had already joined. Then Percy would have to smooth over the rift and try to find a compromise that suited both parties. The Order of the Dark Moon liked to treat every monster fairly.  
The Order of the Dark Moon was simply an allegiance between stronger monstrous forces that wished to hold control over a portion of the world. Alaska was too small for the thousands of monsters that lived and grew in the pit, and they needed more breeding grounds and area to roam. The Order wanted to negotiate with the Olympians to gain control over a bigger portion of land for the pit's creatures. To do this, they needed strong forces to back up their claim and give them support. If worse came to worse, they needed the army to battle their way to their goal.

Percy was taken in when the Order was still newly created, so it was still pretty small. Percy was healed by some evil Greek legends who entrusted Percy with leadership of the Order. When he was fully healed, he was trained and schooled in legends and myths. He learned about monster habitats and attitudes before they finally sent him out to recruit monsters. Then, he trained a few gifted creatures to train his recruits, and that gave Percy time to negotiate with older, stronger forces.

The Order gained ground quickly, and even old enemies came to respect Percy. They even told him why they disliked him, and they grew to like him more when he stated he no longer agreed with his older self. Percy gained more allies then enemies quickly, and sometimes he could be seen discussing the Olympians ruling with Titans and Giants. As the Order gained more power, Percy traveled to request an audience with the Council, the original group that began the Order.

The council was similar to the Olympian Council, except they had an even amount of female monsters vs. male monsters, and it consisted of 'evil' creatures. Percy held a seat in the Council, as the last and final member. The Council had only ten members.

The King of Darkness, Erebos and his wife, Nyx the Queen of Night, were the first pair. Then there was Kronos, the King of the Titans, and his wife Rhea, the Queen of Titans. After that, Tartarus, the pit himself, and Gaea, Mother Earth (as it turns out, she's not so evil after all) claimed the third pair of seats in the Council. Following them, there Typhon, Charybdis, Scylla and finally, Percy.

Percy traveled the rocky terrain easily, thanking the Council mentally for the added bonus' of his immortality. Though it did suck to never ever see your family or friends again, Percy gained a different body from his transformation. He still looked the same, only his lungs could not only breathe the air from above, but also the air below. His eyes were a darker shade of green, and he was more muscular. His body could withstand the air of the pit, and his skin was thicker to prevent himself from getting cut on the sharp rocks and shards.

As the Prince of the pit, he wore an obsidian crown that circled around his skull in an edgy, dark design outlined in silver. His clothes were simple, a dark shirt and pant, with leather boots and a dark cloak. The pit was warm, but in deeper crevices, the temperature dropped to a colder climate.

Percy found the crude steps with ease, after traveling them for so long, they were easy to pick out. He descended, eying the beasts that flew around the crevice, guarding its entrance. Sure enough, two broke away from the pack and flew down in front of him. Percy halted, and the two arai bowed to him.

"My lord," the first rasped. "What brings you to the edge of the pit?"

The second hissed. "Why must you question our lord? He comes for his own reasons! Ones we must not question."

Percy put his hand up to stop the two. "Please, do not speak." He turned his gaze to the first. "I am here to discuss matters with the Council. I would appreciate it if you gathered them for me."

The first arai bowed deeply. "Thank you, my lord. I will do as you wish."

Then it flew off, and Percy watched it grow distant before he looked back at the second. "My fellow friend, I am not that high and mighty that you cannot ask questions. You should be wary of strangers entering this part of the pit. Who knows? I could be an imposter."

The arai shook its head. "No, master. You smell of good, fresh bread and darkness. No other being smells the way you do. I would know even from afar if you were an imposter."

Percy cracked a smile as he began to descend again. The arai followed him.

"You remind me of an old friend."

The arai looked at him with a startled look on his face. "I have heard of your many travels, my lord. What friend do you speak of? I could never resemble any human!"

Percy sighed. "This friend you wouldn't have heard of. He was the titan who led me through the pit. He faded years ago."

For a heartbeat, the arai was silent. "Iapetus."

Percy continued to walk on. "Yes."

The arai flew off, leaving Percy to his memories.

PJ

Kronos scowled at the parchment, the inky scrawl a reminder of what was to come. Percy had just arrived at the Great Crevice, and requested a Council meeting. He apparently had an 'urgent matter' that needed to be attended too. Personally, Kronos thought that he old enemy needed to realize just how powerful these old dark creatures were. A young boy could not simply order them around. Kronos himself was more powerful that Percy could imagine, if only that cursed boy Luke had not destroyed his ticket to world power.

Since the day Percy had fallen before the Council, Kronos had despised the boy. However, he would not be so quick to cast out a future rival, especially one that was as powerful as Percy. Percy didn't even realize the extent of his power! Kronos knew that when Percy did fully realize his potential, and acted on it, that he would be an ally Kronos would want to have.

Kronos hissed inside his entrapment. It had taken quite a while to collect every fragment of his scattered soul, and even when he was brought together, he had to be kept in a special enchanted bottle. It annoyed him to no end, to be so weak and useless, merely a voice of reason. Kronos had not yet given up on his dreams of power, but he knew that this time he would have to be wiser… more tactful. The Council gave him the perfect opportunity to work from behind the scenes, while using others to achieve his goals.

A scaly arai walked into his quarters, bowing low. "My lord, lord Percy requests-"

Kronos hissed. "Yes, I know. Bring me to the Council chambers."

The arai blushed, and fumbled forward. "My apologies, my lord! I-I didn't know."

The arai picked Kronos up with care, and begun the journey to the Council chambers.

PJ

Percy paced the obsidian floor of the chamber anxiously. He was awaiting the arrival of several very powerful deities. He sat down in his throne, a tall chair rooted to the floor. It was made of a dark, jagged stone with etchings of his heroic achievements, the story of his journey here. The throne was finished with thin, silver veins stretching themselves over the stone. It was beautifully made.

Percy remembered his dear friend, who had helped him adjust to Tartarus life. When he met her, he was walking down the steps for another Council meeting. He had just sent an arai to summon the other Council members.

After that arai had left, an empousa strode up the steps. Her flaming hair rippled in the dark light.

"My lord, I did not expect for your return. Shall I fetch the rest of the Council?"

Percy shook his head. "No, I have an arai doing that."

"Then let me walk with you." The empousa walked on with Percy for a while. "My lord, why do you stay?"

"Are you referring to Tartarus?"

Blushing, the empousa nodded. Percy shrugged. "I can't leave you guys. It's…hard."

"In what way?"

Percy sighed. "If I leave the pit, I will die. I have a connection to it now."

The empousa twisted her hair, and brushed dust of off her shoulder. "You are connected to Lord Tartarus? Then you are his-"

Percy snorted. "Forgive me. Not Tartarus, but the pit itself," he explained. "Tartarus controls the pit, but he is not the pit. Do you understand?"

The empousa was silent. "I-um… kind of."

They walked on in silence for moments more, until the empousa turned to look at him with her red eyes.

"Do you miss the above?"

Percy eyed her for a moment. Could she be tricking him? "Yes," he replied hesitantly. "Sometimes, I do, but the pit is my new home."

"What do you miss the most?"

Percy thought back to Camp Half-Blood, and Annabeth. Gods, he missed her so much. But he didn't want her to see him, because if she did she would be disgusted. He was expanding in his powers in ways that would frighten her; even if he was fine with it, she wouldn't be.

He also thought of his mom and dad, and Paul. His friends briefly crossed his mind before he thought to what he truly missed more than anything.

"I miss the beaches. The sun, the water…it was where I was most comfortable."

And so the empousa asked Percy all about beaches. Why would you want to swim? Why not just chase demigods? Why get all gross and salty when you can do better things?

Percy answered all of questions to the best of his ability, and when they reached the bottom, he invited her inside. The empousa refused, and told him that she had work to do. Before they parted, he asked her a question.

"What's your name?"

The empousa giggled, an odd sound coming from her frightening features. "My name is Ally."

Percy thought about Ally, and wondered what work she had to do. After all, monsters only hunt. They don't do day jobs or anything.

But he didn't have any more time to consider as the Council arrived.

PJ

Annabeth stared up at the sky, whispering words under her breath. The night was cool, and the rest of the Camp was at the bonfire tonight. A wind stirred up and rippled across her face. Another tear leaked out of her eye, and this time she didn't even bother wiping it away. It didn't matter, another would just replace it anyway.

She was crying all the time, and even though she didn't want to be sad, she always was. Percy was probably dead by now, its been so long. Thinking of Percy, laying alone in the dark pit, bruised and bloodied only made hard sobs wrench their way out of her. She laid her head on her arms and cried.

Was he dead? Alive? Lonely? She didn't even fucking know. All she wanted was him, was that too much? Annabeth turned her head to the sky, tears streaming down her face, nose running, eyes puffy and breath hiccupping.

"Why did you let him?" she screamed. "Why? Why the fuck was it him? He's dead! He's probably dead, alone and-and hurt! They're probably tearing him apart for fun. Yeah, because that's how you should treat him. He's a toy to them! If he's alive, he'll be insane! Didn't you fuck with him enough?"

She dissolved into wrenching sobs, barely seeing the small group of people heading her way.

Fuck.

PJ

The Council members appeared at once when the hourglass hit the eighth bar, and they sat down in their thrones immediately.

Percy bowed before the powerful creatures before him. Sitting in his throne, he made eye contact with everyone. Well, except for Kronos, because he was in a bottle.

"My lords and ladies, I am eternally grateful that you accepted my request."

Erebus leaned forward, his black eyes sparkling. "Why, dear Perseus, have you called us here?"

His voice was like a cool breeze before a storm, a whisper of power. Percy mentally shuddered every time he heard it. "Council, I have an important matter that needs to be decided. I couldn't reach the conclusion on my own, because it doesn't only concern me. I wanted to bring you to awareness of the problems concerning the Order's cause."

Rhea sat up straighter in her seat, a frown marring her flawless features. "A problem?"

Percy's own features remained impassive. "Yes. The Olympian council will never accept our proposal on the spot. They need to be…subtly threatened and introduced to the matter. They are proud but tactful, and they will not stand to give up any more land. We have the army, yes, but that won't faze them. The war will cause harm to our members, which may not be the best option. How long will it take for them to enjoy what they fought for? Too long, in my opinion. They have waited for many centuries; they cannot wait much longer!

"If I go up there-"

Gaea hissed. " _You_ go up there? To run away from us? Why not another?"

Percy looked Gaea in the eye. "Do you question where my loyalties lay? It is not to run away. I'm the only one they'll listen to. They will not listen to any of you! If I go up there, it is to talk about it with the Olympians. They owe me a debt. I will talk about my time here, and the quest with the Seven. I will mention it to them, and convince demigods in Camp Half-Blood to stand with us. Powerful ones. The Olympians then cannot fight against us with their greatest weapons gone! When you come up there to ask, they will already be threatened with losing, and they'll be comfortable with the idea. The odds will be in our favor."

The Council was quiet, until Kronos spoke up.

"Is this a trick? For you to escape us? What if you are swayed?"

Percy regarded his old enemy coldly. "My loyalties lay with you. I have grown to care for my subjects. You need to remember who I am. I am the Prince of this Pit you stay in. My loyalty is forever with this place, and its residents.

"I can't be swayed as the Prince. I care too much for the monsters and their welfare. I have risked my life many times for the Order, and its future. Why throw it away?"

Tartarus drummed his fingers on his throne. "But you cannot leave, my Prince. It is impossible."

Percy smirked. "I have found a way."

The Council indeed focused more now.

"I will bring the pit with me. The stone of this place is what keeps me strong. If I wear a necklace with a piece of the stone, I will remain strong as ever. My connection remains."

Scylla snorted. "So you have already betrayed us? You have already left the pit and it works? How could you!"

Charybdis cracked her knuckles. "Serves us right, trusting a demigod."

Percy growled, and the chamber trembled. "I have not yet left. As I said in the beginning, I am awaiting your final decision. The idea is only tested in theory."

Nyx stood up, her black silk dress curving off her body beautifully.

"Perseus, let us discuss this. Please leave, and we will call you back when we have decided."

Percy nodded, and left. It was like the old days, when he wasn't a part of the Council and they always sent him out so they could discuss. As soon as he left, he heard the room explode with arguments.

Percy sat down on the edge of the crevice, staring down into the eternal darkness. It was cold, supposedly, but because he was the Prince, he wasn't bothered by it. He picked up a stone nearby and tossed it down, waiting to hear it land. Even before he threw, he knew it wouldn't.

The next stone he picked up, he put in his pocket. If he leaving, that would be his stone to give him strength.

Percy thought about Annabeth, but quickly chased her out of his mind. He wanted to talk to her, and he knew that if he went to Hermes' dais, he could send her a message that would appear in the flame back in Camp Half-Blood. In the beginning he hadn't wanted to give her hope, but now he was afraid of her answer. What would she think, now that he was aligned with monsters? And their greatest enemies?

Footsteps broke his thoughts. He turned to see Nyx, with her gentle smiles and pretty face.

"Hi, darling."

Percy rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. She really was gorgeous. "Hello, Nyx."

Nyx waited for him to stand before answering. "I won't keep you waiting. They said yes."

Percy grinned, and hugged Nyx. "This is great! The plan is moving so fast, now! I'll be able to Ally a second life after all!" He hadn't even realized that he'd been worrying about her.

Nyx raised one of her eyebrows. "Ally?"

Percy blushed and walked toward the chamber doors. "Just an empousa I met a while back."

Nyx glided past him smoothly, and rested her hand on one of the handles. "Doesn't sound like that to me."

With a dramatic turn, she disappeared inside, and Percy followed.

PJ

After the Council debriefed him, Percy made his stone necklace. He was polishing the stone when Ally walked into his quarters.

"Hi, Lord Percy."

Percy turned, and grinned when he saw Ally. "Hey, Ally. Why can't you just call me Percy?"

Ally shrugged. "Takes the fun out of things. I could call you Lord Perseus." Ally strode closer, examining his necklace. "What are you doing?"

Percy told her about his plan. When he was finished, Ally nodded. "It's understandable. I'm guessing that's the stone?" She tilted her head towards Percy's new necklace.

Percy nodded. "Yeah, I just finished it."

Ally blushed scarlet. "May I do the honors?"

Percy felt heat creep up his face. "Sure-I mean, yeah."

Ally picked it up gently, admiring its gentle beauty- the stone was a dark color, with a hint of red at the center-before placing it over his head. Their eyes met, and their faces extremely close before Ally turned away, somewhat redder than before.

"I-um, just wanted to wish you luck."

"Thanks, but I want you to come too."

Ally scoffed. "Why? You don't need me; I'm not the best protector."

Percy glanced over his belongings that he had packed into a magically expanding rucksack. He wanted Ally with him. There wasn't any particular reason why, but he needed her. They had become close friends since they had met, and he wanted to share his world with her, just as she had shared hers with him.

Percy didn't know how to tell her that he needed her by his side. Ally was a very young empousa, and she had only been to the top once. She was around his age, and had never tasted demigod before. She was so inexperienced, but that gave her a brighter personality. She wasn't as bloodthirsty. Ally was in that was similar to Percy-not dark, but not light either. They were grey.

"You're my friend, Ally. I want you to come. You don't need to fight or anything, just come with me. Prove everyone wrong about monsters."

Ally's face seemed to fall a bit, and Percy felt bad. Why couldn't he just say how much he cared for her? Why did he have to lie?

Before he could fix his mistake, Ally laughed. "Percy, of course I'll come with you. I don't want to leave you alone up there. It's dangerous! Lots of murderers running around."

Percy smiled. "Thanks, Ally." Why couldn't he just say it?

Ally smirked. "I'll go pack. When I come back, we're leaving, ok?"

"Okay."

Percy wanted to reach out and grab her as she passed, but he held back. In another moment, she was gone, and Percy was left alone again. It was almost time to leave.

 **Hi everyone. My name is Scaevus. This is the first chapter of my fanfiction, Grey. I don't know how long it'll be, but I'm trying to update every week. Please review, it means a lot to me, and if you can, criticism! I need it to grow and get better.**

 **Lots of love,**

 **Scaevus**


	2. Chapter 2

Percy was excited. His blood thrummed through his veins as he marched down the rocky terrain. Ally was by his side, her hair pulled up into a ponytail. For a brief moment, she reminded him of Annabeth-quite, calculating, gorgeous. Then, she turned to look at him, her scarlet eyes alight with a hunger Annabeth could never possess. It made Percy's heart twist again with excitement.

Above the ground, Percy would have to be careful. He was now a monster, and demigods would hunt him. At first, they would most likely invite him into Camp, but after learning what he was…they would kill him. Percy had no doubt he would reform in the depths of Tartarus, bursting from the pus-like bubbles in anticipation, hungry to kill.

It would take him a while to reform, as it did with all of the more powerful creatures. There was the possibility Tartarus would heal him immediately, but that was questionable.

"Percy?"

He turned to look at Ally beside him. She rubbed her hand, and only then did Percy notice her bracelet. It too had a Tartarus stone on it.

"We've reached the exit."

Percy looked up to see the light seeping from a crack in the rock. This breach in the pit was only recently created, so Thanatos had yet to discover it. Still, they should proceed with caution. If the council's estimates were correct, it should deposit them right into New York City.

Percy took ally's hand in his, and led her carefully over the gravel. Since it was a crack in Tartarus, the ground here was potentially unstable.

"That's it, careful." Ally's foot slipped before regaining traction again, the near danger making Percy's stomach roll. What if the ground broke again and Ally fell through? He couldn't even hold onto Annabeth, could he save Ally?

"Percy." Her soft voice broke his thoughts. "We have to get moving."

They navigated their way through the crack, sometimes only barely squeezing through. The crack led upwards slowly, and they walked on carefully. The light was dim, and it was beginning to become a very steep climb.

Time was moving slowly as Percy held Ally's foot, giving her the boost from below to make it over the edge. The elder empousa were more agile and strong, and could probably get through here easily, but Ally was still very young. She hadn't gotten all of her strength yet. Percy, being the Prince, had a boosted physique, so he was managing pretty well.

The crevice began to open up, so Ally clung to Percy's back as he climbed up the rock. Eventually, they stopped to rest. They curled up against the rock and fell asleep for a few hours before heading out again. They entered a cycle of resting and climbing.

Percy had no idea how long the cycle lasted before the light hit him strongly in his eyes, pure and untainted. He gasped, the light burning his eyes, before laughing.

Ally looked back at him. "What?"

Percy climbed up next to her, pulling her onto his back. Ally gladly obliged, tired from the strenuous climb. "We're there!"

Ally whooped when she saw the light, and Percy hauled them over the edge, between a few rocks in what appeared to be Central Park. Percy blinked, adjusting to the sudden sunlight. Sunlight-gods, he thought he'd never see it again! The sun was setting, and Percy felt tears form in his eyes. He was home.

PJ

They went to the top of one of the buildings to watch the sun set, and even after they waited for the stars. Percy explained all of the constellations, and Ally made up a few of her own. He showed her the Empire state building, where Olympus rested above.

Ally sighed. The air was warm, and Percy was enjoying every moment of Above. He didn't really dwell on Below anymore, until Ally began to talk.

"Percy, this is amazing. It really is. But we have a mission, and after that…" she fell silent.

Percy gently turned her face towards his. "Come on, Ally. We'll win. Whether it takes a thousand more years, or ten, we're winning. I won't take no for an answer. Even if we don't win immediately, I'll transform the pit into a better place to live. It'll be live the Above, except darker."

Ally smiled, and Percy wiped away the tear that had started its descent down her cheek. "What if I die, Percy? What if you die? What happens then?"

Percy looked into her scarlet eyes, thinking about the inevitable. "We'll die, Ally. But we'll come back. We'll spend eternity together."

He didn't even know why he was so close to her lips until she met him, with gentleness and hunger. His eyes were closed, and he was thinking about how beautiful she was, and how the sound of cars and people was fading away. He felt his body buzzing, and his heart was leaping forward so fast-

Ally pulled away, and they were breathless. Her face was red.

"I-I'm sorry, Percy. I just-"

Percy's face was quickly warming. "Ally, it's okay."

"But, I know that you and Annabeth-"

Annabeth. Was it possible to love two girls at once?

"-I don't want to screw up your life."

Percy grabbed her shoulders, and her beautiful face focused on his eyes. "You could never screw up my life."

They left the building rooftop and began to walk along the dirty sidewalk. He explained life in New York City, and how mortals couldn't see monsters clearly because of the Mist. He thought about his mom, Sally. How was she? Did she still live here?

As he further explained life in the Above, they wandered the streets of Manhattan.

"Where are we, Percy?"

Percy stopped talking about traffic lights to study the building in front of them. It was his mom's apartment building.

"My mom lives here-well, I don't know if she lives here anymore, but-"

"Let's visit her." Ally bounced up to the steps. "Come on, Percy."

He followed her up, and up until they stood in front of his old apartment. He used to live here. He'd walk to school every morning, and walk right through this door. His heart was beating fast against his ribs. What would his mom say? His mouth was so dry. He knocked.

The sound dispelled the silence.

"Will she like me?" Ally's voice was quiet.

Percy glanced at her. She was wringing her hands nervously as she watched the door.

"She'll love you." He didn't even know if that was true, but he wanted it to be.

The door opened.

PJ

Ally squeezed Percy's hand tightly as the elderly woman who answered the door politely told them Sally Jackson had moved out a year ago. The woman smelled really good, like roasted ham and mashed potatoes. It made Ally hungry, but she wouldn't eat her anyway. The food Percy bought her was better.

Ally led him away as the door closed, leading him down the steps and out the front door. Percy followed her numbly, staring into the distance. They came to a quiet street, and Ally checked the surrounding area for mortals.

"Percy, do you have a drachma?"

Percy fished in his pocket and pulled out the coin, handing it to her. Ally threw it into the street, and it sunk beneath the surface. Percy seemed to break out of his stupor, staring at Ally.

"Hey-"

"Grey Sisters' Cab!" Ally shouted, and a smoky grey cab blurred over to their street corner. Percy rested a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her. Ally felt her stomach twist.

"Good idea, Ally."

They crawled inside, and Percy gave the Grey Sisters more drachmas.

The middle one rasped, "Where to?"

Percy's hand closed around hers, and Ally felt that strange twist again. Was she sick?

"Montauk."

Ally turned to Percy. "What-"

The cab lurched, and Percy held Ally back as she was flung forward.

"Careful," he murmured. "They drive pretty crazy."

The cab wove in and out of traffic quickly, going way fast. It took awhile before Ally got somewhat used to the movements of the cab.

"Percy, why are we going to Montauk? I thought you said we were going to Camp Half-Blood?"

Percy watched the sisters fight over the tooth.

"I know, and we will get there, I just need to stop at Montauk first."

Ally groaned. "Why can't you just tell me?"

Percy laughed. "I will, just wait. We're almost there."

The cab went on dodging traffic for a good amount of time before it finally slowed in front of a desolate beach. Percy helped Ally out of the cab and thanked the Grey Sisters, before closing the cab door and letting them speed off.

He led her down the beach, to a sandy blue cabin. The cabin was quiet and old, and when Percy managed to open the door, it squeaked. Percy led her inside, and Ally noted the sand on the floors and the dust.

It was dark inside, but Ally was used to dark. She liked dark.

Percy didn't bother turning on the lights, he only pulled open the curtains. Moonlight flooded the room, and Ally blinked to adjust.

"Percy?"

Percy was studying the kitchen and the floors. He turned to meet her gaze.

"Why are we here?"

Percy ran his hand through his hair, giving the place one last look before answering her question.

"I used to come here every summer with my mom. She met my dad here, and then you know what happened. But after he left, she came here every year with me. The last time we came here was the day I learned that I was a half-blood. Grover, he's my friend satyr, came through the door. He told my mom about my demon teacher, Mrs. Dodds, and after that my mom drove me to Camp. There was this huge storm, and we met the Minotaur along the way, and there was this…accident. I thought my mom died. Anyway, I went on a quest and got her back, but…"

Percy's eyes glazed over and he stared out the window, towards the beach.

Ally watched him. "This was the beginning of your journey as a half-blood, and now it's the end."

Percy nodded. "I'm no longer fully demigod. I'm part monster, and so in some way.."

"You're saying goodbye." Ally walked up to him, and he turned to face her. "Why? You aren't dead! You'll see her again."

Percy shook his head, "You don't understand. My mom can see through the Mist. She's not as good as she was, but she'll be able to tell what I am. She won't accept me anymore. I'm not her son. I'm something different."

"She'll still love you. I know she will."

They stayed there, quiet as death, before Percy left the cabin. Ally raced after him, following him as he walked down to the beach.

"Percy? What are you doing?"

Percy smirked and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder.

"Percy! Put me down! Stop it!"

"Ally, you've lived in the pit your whole life. It's time you go swimming."

Percy charged into the water, and pulled Ally under with him. They both came up for air, Ally spluttering curses and salt water. Eventually, she stopped hitting him to let him teach her how to swim. He led her down to the fish, and a pair of dolphins gave them rides in the waves.

Ally enjoyed it greatly, but hated the feeling of the salt water on her skin. And her hair was smoldering. It was now a dark black, instead of her usual fire.

When the sun began to rise over the horizon, Percy led them back to the cabin.

"Percy, that was amazing. I had so much fun."

Percy laughed. "You nearly drowned a couple times."

Ally felt her face flush. "Well thanks, you just left me there, so what was I supposed to do? I can't swim!"

Percy sat down next to her on the beat up couch. "Now you can."

They sat there in silence as the room became lighter. Percy began to clean the place up as Ally watched the sun climb higher. She was amazed, staring as the fiery ball warmed her up and lit the earth. How many monsters would die to see that? They can't even sleep peacefully. The only thing Tartarus was missing, she mused, was a sun. Then it would be simply amazing.

"Percy? Are we leaving for Camp Half-blood today?"

Percy looked up from his sweeping. "Once I'm done with this, we can."

"Will they like me?"

Percy didn't even look up this time. "Why wouldn't they? You're gorgeous, fun to be around…You're everything people look for in a friend."

Ally blushed, which was beginning to annoy her. Why'd she have to blush all the time?

"Thanks, Percy."

This time, Percy looked up at her and smiled warmly. "Your welcome."

PJ

Percy finished sweeping, and they called the Grey sisters' Cab, who were very happy to see returning customers. Well, one was happy to see them. The other two were happy to hear about it.

They drove a shorter distance this time, to a bunch of woods. After dropping them off, they sped away again. Percy led her up a hill, helping her over roots and whatnot. He had been quiet the whole way here.

"Percy, what are we gonna do after we explain ourselves?"

Percy helped her step over a rotting tree. "Well, if they don't accept it we'll stay if we can and try to convince them. If they want us to leave, we'll have to leave. And if they like it, then great. We can head to Olympus and plead our case."

Ally pondered that for a moment. "so, even if Camp half-blood is okay with it, we still have to go talk to the Olympians? But they'll never agree with us!"

Percy smiled. "That's why Camp Half-blood is so important. Without the demigods, the gods can't destroy our army. The Giants can only be defeated by a god and demigods working together. So we'll be unstoppable."

Ally gasped, spotting something…just over the crest of the hill. "A dragon!"

Percy whipped around, before giving a whoop of joy. "Peleus!"

Ally darted after Percy as he ran up the hill. A dragon? And was that the golden fleece?

"Percy?" Percy had come to rest at the very crest of the hill, standing next to a gorgeous white pine.

Before them, in all of its awesome and stunning glory-

"Camp Half-Blood," Percy whispered.

 **Hey guys! I sincerely apologized for the long break in my update. I was going to update the day after my first, but then I went on vacation and I was unable to write anymore. Fortunately, I was able to pound this one out pretty quickly. I just got back today, and I had a great time! But I'm also glad to get back to my writing. Thank you for everyone who reviewed and messaged me, I appreciate your views and ideas. I will update weekly, maybe less, in the future. Please review and have a good week!**

 **P.S. My characters are mine, but I DO NOT own PJO. All rights to Rick Riordan (except for my own characters)**

 **Love, Scaevus**


	3. Chapter 3

Percy and Ally stood on Half-Blood Hill, watching the Camp below them glow in orange sunlight. The boundary in front of them shimmered an iridescent blue. They stood there, drinking in the image of Camp Half-blood, and Ally gasped at its beauty.

"It's nothing like home," she murmured. "but it is very beautiful. Is that a pegasi?"

Sure enough, a pure white winged horse flew above camp, an unidentified demigod riding the majestic horse. Percy smelled the air, and was glad to inhale strawberries and sea salt. It reminded him of Annabeth, and the memories they shared.

"I think we should enter now," He said as he took a step forward. As he did, the boundary glowed and repelled his entry. Shock vibrated through his veins.

"Wha-?"

Ally looked up sadly at him, her beautiful red eyes watering. "The wall…it repels monsters doesn't it?"

Percy nodded numbly. He was a demigod. He was a son of Poseidon. Why was this happening to him? Percy growled. So close, yet so far away.

"Percy, there's a demigod coming." Ally's crimson eyes were fixated in front of them, and Percy followed her gaze to see two guards- dressed in orange CHB shirts and armor. As they drew closer, Percy was able to identify the sharp blonde as Jason, and the mousy brown braid as Piper. "Make that two."

"Figures they would be on sentry duty together," Percy muttered, ignoring the glare from Ally.

As Jason and Piper came close enough, they halted in front of them. Jason studied Percy's face, and his jaw fell.

"P-Percy?" He sputtered, gaining the scrutinizing gaze from Piper.

"What? No, it can't…Percy!"

Piper rushed forward and enveloped him in a fierce hug, followed by a very manly side hug from Jason.

"How did you get out?" Piper's eyes flickered to Ally. "Who is this, Percy?"

Percy cleared his throat to speak as they stared at Ally, but it was Jason who spoke first.

"Is that," his icy blue eyes narrowed. "an empousa?"

Percy held Ally protectively behind him as they both drew their weapons. "Stand down, Jason. I'll explain later. Just let us in."

Jason looked at Percy, furrowing his brows.

"Can't you already get in?" Piper asked. "I mean, you're a demigod."

Percy shook his head, the lies already slipping out of him mouth. "I guess the over exposure of Tartarus has blocked my entry. I need permission to get Ally in too." At their faces, Percy sighed. "I promise she won't hurt anyone. She's not into eating demigods, actually. She's never tasted one."

Piper stepped through the boundary, eying Ally. Ally flushed under her kaleidoscope eyes.

"Hi. My name's Ally."

"Piper," she replied stiffly.

Jason rubbed the back of his neck. "I, Jason Grace, give Percy Jackson and Ally permission to enter camp."

The boundary glowed gold before fading. Percy led Ally through the border.

"Thank you." Ally murmured the words softly, and the two sentries blinked in surprise.

"You're welcome," Jason replied. "Now we should probably bring you to the infirmary, Percy. Annabeth will want to see you…Heck, the whole camp will. What happened anyway? How are you still alive?"

Percy smiled the famous lop-sided grin that Piper and Jason had sorely missed. "All in due time, Jason. First, I want to say hello to everyone again."

Piper shook her head vehemently. "Infirmary first, Percy."

Percy laughed. "I'm fine, stop worrying. I'll let the Apollo kids check me out, but I'm perfectly fine."

As they neared Camp, demigods flocked around them, crying out in joy as they recognized Percy. Percy bent the Mist to cover Ally. He wouldn't want them trying to kill her before he could reveal their intentions. Ally must be protected at all costs.

Piper and Jason fought off eager demigods as they made their way to the infirmary. Percy recognized quite a few of the happy faces-the Stolls, Clarisse, Malcolm, Katie, and many others. It was actually Lou Ellen who broke through Jason and Piper's protective force first, flinging her arms around him.

"Percy! Oh my gods, we thought you were dead!"

Ever since Percy helped Lou in swordsmanship and protected her from a few bullies, the little girl had adored him. She had followed him around like a puppy. Of course, now Lou had grown into a gorgeous young woman.

"Lou!" Piper groaned and pulled the ecstatic girl off Percy. "Come on, Percy has to go to the infirmary. You can hug him all you want later."

Lou cast Piper look of disdain. "Wow, jeez, Piper. It's not like he could be abducted by Hera while he's alone, right?"

Lou stalked away, and Piper was left in shock. She finally managed to push an Athena kid away before growling. "This is going way to far!"

Piper cleared her throat. "Hey!" Immediately, all eyes turned towards her. "Get away from us, and if I so much as catch one of you all taking one step after us, I will personally rip all of your throats out."

Charmspeak, the power of only a select few children of Aphrodite. Percy, being immune to her charm, and Ally stayed next to Piper's side as the rest of them walked away. Including Jason.

"Jason!" Piper yelped, tugging on the back on his shirt. "You're coming with us, too!"

Jason blinked away the fog that had settled over his eyes. "Wha-? Oh, gods." His face flamed red. "I'm sorry Pipes, I-"

Piper moaned and tugged him towards the infirmary. "Oh just _shut up_ , will you? You can do your stupid apologies later."

Percy followed Piper and Jason, now free of greeting demigods. He murmured some of the popular spots of Camp Half-Blood to Ally, who was watching the scenery pass in awe.

"It's so beautiful, Percy."

Percy grinned, pointing out the Big House. "That's where Chiron and Mr. D live."

Ally suddenly faltered. "Mr. _D_? As in, the wine god?"

Percy winced. "Yeah, um-"

"Percy!" Piper tugged on his arm. "Hurry up, Will is waiting."

Percy and Ally went into the infirmary, and faced a gleeful Will Solace.

"Perce!" his face split into a glowing smile. "So glad to see you, man. Sit down on the bed right here and I'll check you over."

Percy obliged, though could not stop the sigh of annoyance from escaping. Ally laughed at his facial expression, drawing the attention to her. Will eyed her.

"Where did you pick her up, Perce? You know, her eyes are the most stunning shade of-"

"Can we just get on with it? I'll tell you all everything later. Right now, I just want to get out of here."

Will shook his head as he began his inspection. "Always so impatient to leave," he muttered. Louder, he stated, "Follow the light." He held a small light from the tip of his finger, and Percy rolled his eyes before following it.

"Good, good," Will said. "Enjoy the time away from Camp, then?" Will snorted with laughter. "I guess we got a bit too annoying, with all of that Kronos drama."

Percy was about to reply when a desperate girl's voice came from the door.

"No, I have to go in. I thought-" She appeared in the doorway, blonde curls, grey eyes and tears in her eyes. She froze when she met his gaze. "I thought you were dead." She choked out, before rushing into his arms.

Holding his face in her hands, she murmured incoherently to herself, studying every aspect of his face before looking again into his eyes. "You left me." Her voice cracked, and the tears came rushing into her startling eyes again. "You left me alone, and I-I thought that you died. You didn't come back. I waited for so long…"

Percy watched the strongest woman he ever knew break down in front of him, clutching his T-shirt and sobbing. He held her there, and when she met his gaze, he began to speak to her.

"I would have died for you. You didn't deserve to die down there, Annabeth."

"And you did?" she cried. "What ever made you deserve any of this? Are you-are you even still sane?"

Percy remembered the flash of betrayal, of utter pain, that had appeared in her eyes as he closed the Doors of Death. He had held the button for so long, fighting off the raging monsters, as he prayed to every god that she would make it back ok. He remembered the loneliness afterwards, as every monster bore down on him and he was so…weak.

None of that should have left his mentality unscathed. Percy knew this, but he also knew that he wasn't insane. No matter what he went through, he was still sane. The blessing he had received from the Order of the Dark Moon must have protected from him. It would have been stupid if it hadn't, Percy mused. But how could he ever explain that to Annabeth?

"I'm still sane, Annabeth."

Her features took on that oh-so-familiar look, the curious calculation, when she sorted out the puzzle pieces in her mind in an attempt to fit them together. To have it make sense.

Percy smiled gently, wiping away her tears. "I know that look. I'll tell you later," he added.

Annabeth sat back and let Will finish his inspection, never once breaking eye contact.

PJ

Chiron's wise eyes watched as Percy and Ally sat down. He was especially watching Ally.

"Percy," he began slowly. "you do know that there is an empousa next to you?"

Murmurs broke out amongst the demigods behind him, including a few who stepped forward with weapons drawn, but Percy held her protectively, glaring at the attackers. "This is Ally, my friend. Do not hurt her, or you'll have to answer to me." Chiron raised an eyebrow at the word 'friend'.

Clarisse stepped forward, her spear in hand. "How can we trust her? How do we know she's not here to just kill us?"

Percy opened his mouth to speak, but Ally tugged on his arm and shook her head. Instead, she met Clarisse's gaze.

"As Percy said, my name is Ally. I am an empousa, but I've never eaten a demigod before. I swear it on the river Styx," Ally paused and there was a roll of thunder. Many demigods looked at her anxiously, waiting for her to explode or something, but nothing happened. "As you can see, I'm telling the truth. I don't plan on eating demigods in the future. You half-bloods do smell good, but not good enough to eat.

I know that it's hard to believe, but I don't want to hurt you. I didn't come here to kill you all, or anything like that. I'm here with Percy to visit his friends and family. I'm not like my brethren."

Ally watched the stoic faces of the half-bloods, waiting for something…anything. Nothing happened for a little while, but then a beautiful demigod stepped forward. Her clear blue eyes fixated on Ally's face. She was gorgeous.

"I know that it will take a while for some of us to believe you," she began. "but I believe you. If you wanted to hurt us, you would have done so already."

The girl started to step back, but she turned to Ally one more time and flashed her a wide smile. "My name's Lacy. Daughter of Aphrodite."

Annabeth was watching this exchange with worry. She turned to Percy once Lacy had finished speaking. "Percy," she began. "Ally said that she would be with us while you visited us. Aren't you staying? I mean, why would you leave? You just got back. You need to time to recover, and to heal."

Percy shifted uncomfortably. "Annabeth, I can't really explain it. It's a long story-"

"Well then, start talking!" Annabeth snapped. "You've been gone for two years; I think we've waited long enough. What happened while you were down there? Why are so…different?"

Percy watched Annabeth as her chest heaved, her eyes once again sparkling with fresh tears. "I guess you should all sit down then." Percy spoke softly. "It's gonna be a long time."

The demigods traveled to the amphitheater, all the while whispering about Percy and Ally. Ally walked beside Percy, ignoring all of the looks and muttering curses that were aimed in her direction. Percy knew that she would be able to hear them all with her enhanced senses, but he didn't comment.

When all of the demigods were settled down, Percy began his story with when Annabeth was first with him-and continued from that point onwards. He told everyone how he was left for dead, and how the Order of the Dark Moon swooped in and stopped the monsters from killing him. He described the incredibly long healing process, and how they taught him about monsters. He tried to his best ability explain the conditions in Tartarus, and how it wasn't the best for the monsters. He tried to tell them what he saw in the baby hellhound's eyes as it looked up at him, scared that its first chance at life would be stolen from it in an unimaginably painful way.

Percy couldn't explain everything. Some things you just had to experience yourself. But he tried so hard, just to give them a mere glimpse of what he had went through. He wanted to show them firsthand the pain monsters truly went through. He tried to explain how blessed they were. After all, when they died they were given Elysium, but monsters were given eternal torment for being born. How could life ever become so twisted?

Percy saw that at least some of the demigods believed him, but others still had questions in their eyes. When he was wrapping up, they were bursting with curiosity. Why couldn't you come back sooner? What's Tartarus really like? If monsters are so good, then why do they kill us? Why do you believe them?

Percy tried to answer every question, but how could he tell them that he was a monster now? That he was a part of the beings they had been training their whole life to slaughter? How could he ever explain that?

When the first-year camper Macy Evans, daughter of Hermes, looked at him and asked, "Do you miss it there, in Tartarus?"

There was silence, and Percy was at a loss for words. Every single eye seemed to watch his expression, and every mind was counting the time it took for Percy to respond. But he couldn't. He simply couldn't.

 **Hey guys its Scaevus again. Thanks for the reviews from the last chapter. I didn't get as many as the first, but I guess it hasn't been as long. I'm begging you all, please review! It means a lot to me, and it is true that the more reviews I get, the faster I update. If I don't get as many, I wait until I get more until I post again (even if the chapter is already done). People will point things out to me that I missed, and that helps me fix it in the next chapter. Your feedback means so much to me, even if it's only a few words. Please, just take a minute out of your time to review. Thank you,**

 **Scaevus.**


	4. Chapter 4

Percy watched the wave's crash onto the sand. As a burst of salty air ruffled his black hair, he inhaled the scent of beach. Seashells, seaweed and driftwood decorated the sand. Percy had missed the beach in Tartarus. After all, Tartarus had no beaches like the Above.

Ally sat next to Percy, taking a deep whiff of the air as well. "It smells so wonderful. I can see why you would've missed this."

Percy smiled. Lately, Annabeth and him hadn't been seeing eye to eye. Two years had caused a rift in their relationship, and the new Percy upset her. Annabeth hadn't seemed to think she had changed at all, and Percy was aggravated by Annabeth's remarks about Ally. Ally was the only one who understood what Percy was talking about.

After Percy had explained his time in Tartarus, many demigods had kept their distance from him. Especially after Percy hadn't answered Macy's question.

Percy had tried to come up with an answer-after all, it was _such_ a simple question-but he couldn't. Sure, he had missed the Above, but he wasn't sure if he now missed the Below more. He felt like he belonged more down there than he had up here. How could he ever tell his family that?

"It's my favorite place in Camp. It reminds me of my father."

Ally joined him in smiling. "I wish there were beaches down there."

Percy thought about his underwater kiss with Annabeth. "Yeah, that's the one thing Tartarus is missing."

Ally laughed. "Yeah, that and a sun."

"Mmhmm."

They fell into a familiar silence. They just sat there, enjoying each other and the area around them.

"Hey, Percy." Percy turned around to see Annabeth. She was wearing the orange Camp shirt with jean shorts and converse. Percy knew that she looked beautiful, but he just couldn't say it to her. Her last words to him rang through his mind.

 _You didn't even think about me. You just decided that I could spend another year worrying about you while you hung out with the enemy._

"Hello," Percy replied stiffly. Of course Annabeth would ruin the wonderful peace he was enjoying.

Annabeth eyed Ally. "I, um, well, I just wanted to say-to say that I'm sorry."

Percy looked back at the grayish blue water. He thought he saw a hippocampus leap above the currents.

"Percy, I've missed you so much. Please forgive me. It's been so hard, facing the nightmares alone. Please, just forgive me."

Percy could hear the note of pain that laced her voice, and he pictured the nights she spent screaming, tossing around in her bed with no one to comfort her…

"You don't understand, Annabeth."

Annabeth kneeled down on his other side. "Then explain it to me. Please."

Percy scowled. "You made it pretty clear how you feel about it. Why should I even bother explaining?"

Annabeth winced, but Percy continued. "You were just thinking about yourself-"

Percy felt a hand wrap around his arm, and he turned to see Ally shaking her head. Letting out a frustrated growl, Percy stood up. "Just leave me alone, Annabeth."

Percy stalked away, too pissed at Annabeth to care where he was headed. He heard someone chasing after him, and he whirled around.

"I said leave me alone, Annabeth!"

But it was Ally, wearing his green T-shirt and borrowing one of Lacy's running shorts.

"I'm not Annabeth." That was all she had to say, and Percy let her fall in pace beside him.

PJ

It was the next day at dinner when it happened again. Ally was eating beside him, and Annabeth slid her plate and goblet across from him. She sat down and slowly drank.

"Percy."

Percy swished his blue Coke around. "I'm not in the mood, Annabeth."

He heard Annabeth shuffle her feet. He hoped that she had left. Her words had still stung from yesterday.

"Percy, please. Just make me understand. I want to be there for you. I love you, Percy. I just want to-"

"Don't you get it?" Percy voice permeated the usual dinnertime chatter, and the voice around them died. "It's not all about you. I know that you suffered without me here. Believe me, I know that it was hard. But don't you think that if I could've come back to you sooner, I would have?"

Annabeth stood up too, her eyes glittering with anger. "You finished healing a year and a half before you left Tartarus."

"That doesn't mean I was able to return," Percy shot back.

The dinner hall was deadly quiet, and Ally was watching them with wide eyes.

"Well then what does it mean, Percy? That you were held hostage? That you were too friendly with them to leave? That you were too scared to come back?"

"You don't understand."

"Then what is it, Percy? Why won't you tell us?"

As Annabeth stared at him with this desperate look on her face, Percy knew that he was close to breaking. Annabeth didn't care about him like she used too. She could never understand.

Percy felt the beast in him take charge as he circled Annabeth. He felt a cruel and bitter laugh escape his lips. "I couldn't come back. It was impossible."

Annabeth's eyes flashed. "Why not? I got out. Why couldn't you?"

Percy snapped. "I'm not like you! You're a different. To save you, I had to give myself up. I almost died down there. Why can't you understand? There was only one way they could save me. Demigods aren't supposed to survive down there, don't you remember?" Percy felt the bitter laugh rush out of him again. "How do you think I survived for so long without dying?"

Annabeth's face slowly went pale. "No."

Percy shook his head. "I didn't want to come back, because I knew that you would do this. I knew that you would hate me, Annabeth." Percy growled. "and guess what? I was right.

"I'm a monster, Annabeth. I'm the fucking Prince of Tartarus. If you killed me, I would shatter into dust and reform in the darkest crevice of the pit. I would always come back, no matter what you did." Percy was breathing hard. "That's why I couldn't enter camp. I'm still the Son of Poseidon, but the other half of me-the mortal half-is now monster.

"I didn't want to come back. I wanted to see you, but I couldn't. If I left the pit, I would die. I was different from the others. When I left the pit, I grew weak. The only way I'm here is because of this stone." Percy held up his necklace. "It's stone from Tartarus itself. It's the only thing keeping me strong right now."

Annabeth was crying. "Percy, I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"No one did. It doesn't matter now. I didn't come here to waste time. I came here to see you all again. It'll probably be the last time. I have to go back. I can't stay here too much longer."

Annabeth shook her head. "You have to stay."

"I can't. The stone won't last, it only slows the process down. I know that now."

It was true, Percy was getting weaker. The small sliver of stone could only replenish so much of his energy. He was steadily losing his strength, but at a slower rate.

The dinner hall was so quiet. Percy only had one more thing to say. He turned to the rest of the demigods, who were all watching him quietly.

"I need you to believe me. Monsters aren't that bad. Tartarus is too cramped for them. They come to the Above for freedom, and to have the space to live a nice life. But demigods stop them from that. Can you imagine growing up in darkness, and then seeing the sun for the first time? That's why they always come back. They love it here, it's so much better than Below.

"I came here to tell you the truth. If you asked any monster, they would tell you. They don't want to hurt you. They don't want to hurt anyone. They just want to care for their family."

One kid was shaking his head. "They eat mortals."

Percy laughed, but it wasn't bitter this time. "That's a myth they created to try and scare demigods away from their offspring. It didn't work, obviously."

Every demigods broke out in harsh whispers, and Butch, the son of Iris, curled his hands into fists and looked Percy in the eye. "Why are you here?" He growled. Every demigod slowly stopped talking, and all eyes were on Butch. "Why are you here?" He repeated.

"I came to visit you."

Butch narrowed his eyes. "There's something else. Something you won't tell us."

Inside, Percy was struggling. Should he tell them about his mission? If he did, would they still trust him?

"I also came here," he began. "To plead to the Olympian council. The monsters want more land."

The dinner hall erupted into protests and fighting.

PJ

Ally watched the demigods fighting with each other. Some actually believed Percy, and Ally was glad for that, but others still ignored him. They still thought that all monsters were bad.

Chiron stood up, and Ally was aware that Mr. D wasn't here. There must be something going on up in Olympus, Ally reasoned. She was glad that he wasn't present for this, because he would probably kick them out as soon as he smelled her blood.

Chiron quieted the demigods, and turned to Percy and Ally. Ally saw his timeless brown eyes fill with sorrow, and she knew the words before they came from his mouth.

"I think you should go."

His quiet words cause Percy to stiffen beside her, and Ally herself screwed her eyes shut. This was Percy's home, she knew. All of his fears had come true. They had rejected him. They couldn't get over their stupid racist views to see that Percy was still the same.

Where would they go? If Camp Half-Blood didn't believe them, should they go ahead to Olympus? Or should they wait?

"Thank you, Chiron." Percy's words brought Ally out of here reverie. To the demigods, he said, "I'm not going to force this on you. But I want you all to consider what I said. I'll spread the word amongst the monsters to not harm you. Please, just think about it."

Ally watched Percy as he snapped his fingers, and his outfit changed. He was dressed in his obsidian crown, dark shirt and pants, leather boots and cloak. Ally watched him twirl Riptide in his grasp, which had changed as well, but barely. It held a darker tint to the metal, and the grip had a simple black stone.

"Thank you for letting us stay here."

Percy motioned to Ally, and they began to leave. The demigods followed them to the hill, in awe of Percy's aura of power.

Annabeth made a last ditch effort to make Percy stay. "Please," she begged. "don't leave me. Let me come with you."

Percy just shook his head. His spiky crown glittered darkly. "You wouldn't survive," he said simply.

Percy crossed the border, and Ally followed him. Outside of camp, Percy drove his sword into the ground, and the earth split. Ally didn't want to go back to Tartarus, but she knew that Percy needed to rest and recover from his ordeal. They would also need time to plan.

Ally slid down the tunnel, and she heard Percy follow her. The last rays of sun disappeared as the earth closed above them.

They slid for a long time. Ally was now in Percy's arms, fading in and out of sleep. The fall didn't bother her, but eventually she began to feel the heat of Tartarus. She woke up, and she noticed that Percy was already awake.

"Ready?" He whispered in her ear.

Ally nodded, and she heard Percy summon two arai, who appeared immediately. The arai held them carefully and lowered them to the ground.

"Do you need anything else, my lord?" The arai bowed to Percy and Ally.

Percy was looking at her from the corner of his eye. "No, I don't think so. Thank you for your cooperation."

The arai flew off, and Percy walked beside her.

Ally and Percy marched along the sharp terrain, and even took pleasure in racing down a cliff. Ally won, of course. She wasn't exactly sure where Percy was headed, but she was glad to follow him. Maybe he just needed to blow off some steam.

"Percy," she asked, when they passed a creepily familiar jagged rock. "Where are we going?"

Ally saw Percy wince. "Uh, well, I wasn't exactly sure if I should head back to the Council yet, so I-I decided to go to Nyx's-"

"Nyx's!" Ally yelped. She ignored Percy's unusual nervousness. "What are you talking about? We can just go sideways!"

Percy blinked owlishly. "Sideways. For Titans and such." He muttered.

Ally remembered the silver Titan who had guided Percy and Annabeth through Tartarus the first time they were here. That's when she realized that Percy was taking the same trail that Annabeth and him had traveled two years ago.

"Why do we need to go to Nyx's? You do know that most monsters go insane there? Everyone avoids that place! It's like, the taboo of Tartarus."

"That's a legend," Percy scoffed. "Nyx is a very nice lady, and that's where I'm sending out the message."

Ally rolled her eyes at 'the message'. Deep down, she wasn't sure if the monsters would listen to Percy. After all, this rivalry began from the beginning of their co-existence. Would they really listen to him? But he was the Prince, Ally thought. They can't disobey the Prince.

Percy and Ally travelled through the impermeable fog before coming to a cliff. Ally shuddered as a wave of power sank underneath her skin. She could feel Nyx, and underneath her, Chaos. The fog seemed alive here. It curled and slithered around her, and when she touched it, she thought she heard a hiss.

"Come on." Percy motioned for her to stand right on the edge. "We have to jump."

Ally grabbed his hand, and grasping it tightly, jumped over the edge and sank into the darkest of night.

PJ

It wasn't at all what Ally had expected, though she hadn't expected too much. She thought at least there would be insane monsters crawling from corridor to corridor, but to her surprise there was only the faintest of breezes curling past her hair.

Percy led her to the master bedroom, though she had no idea how he knew where to go. The master bedroom was full of dark blacks and purples, and on the lavish velvety king bed, sat Lady Nyx herself. Ally struggled to contain herself, and lowered her gaze from Nyx, followed with a curtsy.

"My lady."

"Rise, loyal empousa." Nyx's voice was beautifully rich and soft.

Ally rose, and studied Nyx as Percy began to describe their journey. Nyx was wearing a beautiful dark purple dress, and black heels. Her eyes were dark as night, with thick lashes and beautiful arched eyebrows. Her lips were a dark red, and more pronounced against her pale skin.

"Oh, Perseus. I was afraid of that."

Ally tuned in onto what the two had been saying. She watched Percy scowl.

"I guess they forgot what I did for them. And Annabeth-" Percy's eyes darkened. "she doesn't even consider what happened to me! She was completely narrow-minded and arrogant. It was all about her."

Nyx stroked her bedspread. "Indeed. You must remember, Perseus, that Annabeth has been sick with worry for the past two years. She has suffered, and right now she is blinded by her grief."

"I didn't die." Percy spat out the words like venom. Ally shifted uncomfortably. She had never seen Percy so angry.

Nyx was shaking her head gracefully. "No, you did not die, but Annabeth thought you did. She was so alone, and no one was able to comfort her. All she needed was you, and you were not there."

Percy ran his hand through his hair as he sighed. "She's so different. I don't think our relationship is working anymore. We've both changed too much."

Nyx gave him a small smile. "Give her some more time. If it still isn't working, then there is no reason for you to continue it."

"Thank you, Nyx."

Nyx laughed. "I did nothing but make you realize what needed to be done."

Percy smiled, and Nyx arched an eyebrow. "Now, I heard that you have a message of sorts to send to all monsters?"

Ally watched as the two continued to plan. She couldn't help but smile. Things were going to be so great if this all worked out. Once the demigods saw what was happening, then they could convince Olympus. Of course, after that, Ally would be free to…well, live free.

Ally could not wait for that day any longer.

 **Hey y'all! Thanks for the reviews from my last chapter. I appreciate the comments. Please, continue to review, it really does make my day! Thank you all for reading Grey and please, continue!**

 **Lots of love and hugs,**

 **Scaevus**


	5. Chapter 5

Percy watched the hordes of monsters push and writhe around the giant obsidian rock. Next to him was Nyx, who had dearly called the monsters together. It was quite a feat, yet they still couldn't fit everyone into their giant cavern, and there were more than half of them still reforming. Percy was in awe of the power he held over the monsters. After all, he was in control of _every single one_.

Nyx held her hands up, instilling silence. Percy knew that must mean that every monster had arrived. Subconsciously, just like how he always had perfect bearings at sea, he knew how many of each monster there were. The air was black with the flying demons and creatures, and on the ground, it was carpeted in a colorful array of every monster type. All fell absolutely silent when Nyx had raised her hands. Percy felt the beast within himself squirm in desire for the power of respect from these creatures. In time, he reminded himself. He would have everything.

"Please, will all listen to lord Perseus speak." Nyx's voice was magically amplified, so every monster could hear their announcement.

Percy stepped forward, and the monsters cheered. Percy raised his hand, and they fell silent. Percy felt the beast within him glow with pleasure. Maybe it was time.

"Thank you for coming. Recently, I have journeyed to the Above. I went into Camp Half-Blood and began to plead our case to the demigods there. Next I will be traveling to Camp Jupiter. I have returned to ask you to not harm any demigods. It is crucial to our plans."

The monsters murmured. "I know," Percy began. He felt their suspicion and anger. "I know what they have done to you. But if you do not hurt them, then they will trust us. Our goals will be achieved even quicker than before. I know that it is a lot to ask from you, and I am sorry. I wish I could make this easier, but these are the conditions the demigods need to trust me. To trust us.

"I will tell you, that two weeks after I travel to Camp Jupiter, I will receive the answers from both demigod parties. If they don't agree with us, then I will plead my case again. But," Percy smiled. "If they do, then we will travel to Olympus!" Percy raised his fists in the air. This time, there was a massive roar of approval from all of the under worldly creatures.

Percy waited until the roars had died down. "It doesn't matter whether Olympus agrees or not, without their precious demigods, we will be victorious!"

There was a chant from the monsters, and Percy smiled when he was able to decipher the overwhelming roar.

"LORD PERSEUS! LORD PERSEUS! LORD PERSEUS!"

Percy let Nyx dismiss them, but none of the monsters tried to leave. They were too busy cheering, and in the end, it turned into a giant monster party. From experience, Percy knew these could get extremely out of hand, but he couldn't deny his subjects the rejoicing of their achievements. Besides, the party turned into one which Percy could say was _very_ fun.

After the party, Percy and Ally prepared for the long climb above. This time, they would be travelling up a different way, one that would take them near Camp Jupiter. There Percy and Ally hoped to attempt the same persuasion, though hoping that it would be better received.

Ally trailed her fingers over the sharp rock, peering into the thick darkness. She heard Percy rustling with his rucksack behind her as she prepared herself for the long climb.

"Are you ready?" Percy's voice was soft.

Ally rested her forehead on the cool rock. "I don't know."

Ally didn't understand how cruel demigods had to be. They had rejected Percy from his home, and send them packing back to Tartarus. Ally wanted to be kind to the demigods, but it was so hard. They hated her and Percy just because they were of monster blood. Percy was still a demigod, but they cast him away. After everything he had done for them.

Ally felt tears gather in her eyes. "Percy…" She felt his arms wrap arm her as the first sob shook her body. "Why do they hate us? All I want-all I want is to be loved."

Percy held her close to his chest, where she could hear his heart beating. Eventually, her tears dried as she collected herself. She wiped away the remaining wetness from her pale cheeks and drew more air into her lungs.

Percy had been silent, and he let her go. She could feel his eyes on her as she slithered into the crevice, before hauling herself up onto the ledge. The climbing was the difficult part; the easy part happening after she crawled out of the shadows and into the sun.

Ally thought back to Camp Half-Blood as they climbed. The demigods had been welcoming at first, but when they learned Percy was a monster…they kicked them out. Ally remembered the demigods asking Percy why the monster hurt them, if they were so good. They had said it so mockingly; Ally had been surprised. The demigods had acted like they were the victims.

The question burned on her tongue, and Ally paused in her climbing. "Percy?"

"Yes?" Percy grunted from below. "Is something wrong?"

Ally began climbing again, but slower. "The demigods, back at Camp…when they asked why we hurt them, monsters I mean, they-" Ally felt her face flush. "They acted like they were the victims. Why?"

For a few seconds, Percy was silent, and the only sounds were their wheezing breathes and clawing hands.

"The demigods think they are the victims. Demigods live a hard life too, I guess they just don't really consider the monster perspective. Besides, a lot of monsters hold grudges for things that happened, like, thousands of years ago. They don't understand why monsters hate them so much."

Ally pondered that for a moment. "I guess you're right, but when they die they usually get Elysium. If not eternal heaven, then they get something like immortality, or eternal forgetfulness. They live in bliss after death, while monster reform from their dead bodies, writhing in unbearable pain for centuries before collecting their pieces to burst out into hell," Ally hissed. "They're the lucky ones."

"But they don't really know any of that. All they know is that you burst into dust and you're gone. Then, sometimes later, you come back and try to kill them again."

Ally couldn't believe it. All of these years, monsters wasted lives trying to get revenge on the blessed demigods, and the demigods tried to kill them in turn, creating pain for both beings? Was the solution so simple?

"Percy," Ally began. "Why haven't we stopped before? Just stopped the killing on both sides, end it all? That way, everyone lives in peace. Everyone gets a happy life."

Percy sighed. "Ally, it'll be hard to explain that to demigods. Their whole life they train to kill us. I guess without that fighting cause, demigods serve no purpose. Even if we do tell them, they'll just kill us anyway."

Ally felt frustrated. Ally felt that she had just solved everything, but of course, nothing was that simple. It never was.

Percy wasn't finished. "Ally, even if it does seem impossible, we have this life and the next to figure it out. We'll do it."

Ally huffed. Percy wasn't that good at consolation.

PJ

Percy shivered underneath the warming glare of the sun. Ally was just a few paces ahead of him, studying the buildings ahead of them. In the distance, there was the glittering blue bay, and just behind them an impressive hill. Percy could almost see himself sliding down it, just like three years ago. In front of Ally, there was a four lane highway, and underneath the Caldecott Tunnel, the entry to Camp Jupiter.

Percy led Ally gently on the side of the highway to the entrance, where he could see the guards. He couldn't recognize their faces, and Ally's grip on his hand tightened.

"Percy," she murmured. Percy almost couldn't make out what she said next because the cars roared by next to them. Ally's hair whipped around. "Will they let us in so easily?"

Percy's face remained impassive, considering his plan of action. "Don't worry, I have a plan."

Ally muttered curses under her breath.

The guards, who had been eying them the whole time, chose this moment to confront them. The female guard, who Percy could see had honey blond hair, stepped forward, her sword pointed to Percy's chest.

"State your name."

Percy flashed her the inner flesh of his left forearm, the SPQR tattoo clearly visible. "Percy Jackson."

The second legionnaire sniffed. "Why is there an empousa next to you?" she demanded.

Percy knew that the only thing protecting Ally now was his history with New Rome. He did, in fact, save their camp from destruction when Polybotes army invaded. He also brought back their eagle, which the Romans were glad to have back on their soil. Considering all of these things, they were giving him the benefit of a doubt.

Percy smirked. "I have a pet hellhound who is very friendly, don't I? Why can't Ally be the same way?"

The legionnaires shared a glance before the honey blond shrugged. "Aren't you supposed to be in Tartarus right now, anyway?"

Percy laughed this time. The Romans were not at all surprised by his visit, it seemed. "No, I escaped a few days ago."

"How are you sane?" The second girl muttered, who Percy noticed had beautiful, glossy black hair.

"Not entirely sure." Percy looked at the first girl. "What's your name?"

"Alyssa," The honey blond stated. She motioned to the black haired beauty next to her. "And this is Molly. We're in the Third Cohort."

Percy smiled. "Nice."

Molly looked at Ally. "What's your name?"

Ally looked flustered. These girls did not treat her any differently, which kind of took her by surprise.

"Ally. It's very nice to meet you."

It was Alyssa who gave a gentle laugh. "Likewise. I'm slightly curious as to how you and Percy are friends, but with Percy, nothing comes as a surprise."

Ally laughed as well. "He is pretty spectacular that way." Her face flamed a little more. "I thought you all would be more opposed to me coming here."

Percy was a little confused as well. Sure, Romans had seen quite a few weird things, but surely they hadn't experienced an empousa entering Camp?

"Well," Molly began. "Normally, we would be on guard, but word on the street is Ally's cool, so we can let it slide."

"Where'd you hear that from?" Percy inquired. "I didn't know word could travel that fast."

Alyssa blushed. "Nico."

Percy hadn't seen Nico at Camp Half-Blood, but then again, he might've been in the shadows. Percy would have to talk to him soon.

There was an awkward pause, with both parties studying each other before Molly and Alyssa shared a glance.

"I guess we should get going. Molly, you take them to the Praetor Reyna. Frank is busy, and Jason is out talking to some minor gods with Piper." Alyssa opened the door and moved aside, welcoming them inside.

Molly led them through the tunnel, which Percy noticed had been repaired since his last entry. They entered the sunlight again, and Molly began explaining the Little Tiber's history, even winking at Percy. She waved the sentries off, who had come forward to question Ally and Percy, and continued to lead them over the bridge. Molly began describing New Rome, and this amazing café near the University, which she promised Ally she would take her there. Percy smiled as Ally talked animatedly with Molly, pointing out the arches and gardens they walked past.

Percy was glad that Molly was open with Ally, but he feared that New Rome would also reject them. Chiron might have contacted Praetors Reyna and Frank after the incident with Camp Half-Blood, but Percy couldn't be sure. He was also wondering why the two girls had accepted Ally so quickly. That, he mused, was _very_ unusual. Most demigods would be more cautious towards monsters trying to enter their camp. Percy suspected something was different about the girls, something that could be explained better than Nico.

Nico had always been a wild card. As a son of Hades, he wasn't widely embraced as quickly as a child of any other god. Many children of Hades lived their lives alone and isolated from the Camps. Nico had influence in both Camps, even before the two knew each other, even if he wasn't that well liked. Now that he had played an important part in the War, his vote held more weight. If Nico was speaking in favor of them, then the Romans would be more likely to listen.

Of course, Percy would still have to present his case to New Rome, and he assured himself he would perform his best. The Romans were already more perceptive, so that was in their favor. If Percy could present his case the right way, then the romans just may agree without further trials and consideration. If the Romans agreed, that might persuade Camp Half-blood to also align themselves with Percy.

Percy hadn't spent two years down in Tartarus sitting around. He had convinced some of the oldest, most forgotten deities to ally with the Order. Percy had the experience. It was true, demigods required different tactics to be persuaded, but the concepts were still the same.

Percy was pulled from his thoughts when Reyna entered his vision. Her thick dark hair was in a delicate braid that involved strands of golden and purple ribbons entwined with her hair. Her lush, royal purple cape dusted the ground behind her as her armor, impeccable, shone in the sunlight. Her chocolate eyes shimmered with joy as she recognized Percy, and he saw the same curious light in them as he had in Molly's when she first noticed Ally.

"Percy," Reyna greeted warmly. "I see you appear to be well. And this must be-?"

"Ally," the empousa piped up. "It is wonderful to finally meet you, Praetor. Percy has mentioned you."

That was an understatement, Percy thought dryly. He must have told Ally all about Reyna since the had left. That had been many days ago.

Reyna's eyes glittered with amusement. "Is that so? Well, Ally, I must say that it was a surprise to see you. When Nico first informed me of you, I thought that he must be joking. An empousa that was friends with Percy? Of course, I had to see you for myself." Reyna glanced at Percy. "There has been much talk; nobody could believe that Percy was friendly towards our sworn enemies. But since he does own a hellhound as a pet-Mrs. O'Leary _is_ very friendly-I knew there must be something different about you. And here you are."

"Yes, here I am." Ally looked behind Reyna, towards New Rome. The city itself was beautiful, and you could see the many legacies and half-bloods wandering the streets. They seemed so peaceful and happy, even from afar. Percy could tell that Ally was entranced. "Your city is beautiful."

"Thank you. Why don't you come into my office, and we can discuss the conditions of your stay?"

Percy nodded. "Of course." He turned to Molly and smiled. "Thank you so much for bringing us here. It was a pleasure to meet you."

Molly flushed. "It was no problem, really."

"Well then, Molly, you can return to your duty. Thank you for leading Percy and Ally here." Reyna smiled at Percy. "Come on, Fish Brain."

Percy could hear Ally struggling not to laugh as they followed the gorgeous Praetor. Everything was going well, Percy reasoned. Reyna was being very considerate. Now would be the hard part, convincing the rest of New Rome.

PJ

There was a story every monster learned from birth. It was told over and over, until every word was ingrained in their minds for years to come. And they, too, would pass it on to their children, and the story would live on in their minds. It was the story of their birth, the story of their misfortune.

 _Tartarus was deep in slumber when the Titans ruled the Earth. King Kronos and Queen Rhea ruled the Golden Age with power and peace. The humans served their king, and in return Kronos protected them and blessed them. The humans were given the power of knowledge, which they used to expand the kingdom of the Titans. The other Titans were not left out of the power, as King Kronos had formed the Titanian Council, which all Titans took part in. It was a peaceful time._

 _Tartarus, deep below the earth, was roiling in emotions. He hated that he had been forced into sleep, and that he could no longer see the light of day. The pit was a dark and lonely place, and there wasn't much to do. He was trapped in his mind and body, unable to wake himself from his eternal slumber._

 _One day, as Tartarus wandered around the Pit, his loneliness manifested. This had been happening for some time, but it was only now that the humanoid form was truly awake. It came over to Tartarus, and the Primordial was surprised._

" _Who are you?" He demanded._

 _The figure blinked. He was dark, and only vaguely humanoid, but Tartarus was glad to see another being. It had been a long time since he was not alone._

 _The figure could only blink in reply._

 _Tartarus studied his blurry features. "Where do you come from?"_

" _You," it rasped. "You created me."_

 _Tartarus began conversing with his offspring, and Tartarus named him Tepas._

 _Tepas grew, and as he grew he wandered the Pit. The Pit was dank and clammy. The rocks protruded from the rough soil hazardously. Even so, Tepas found it to be his home._

 _Eventually Tepas found an escape from the Pit, and climbed up to the Above excitedly. There, he met king Kronos. Kronos gladly accepted Tepas into his society, and from there Tepas had many offspring. At first, they spewed from his strong emotions. There came empousa, gorgons, telekhines and many others. They all found their place in the kingdom and served the Titans with joy._

 _As the years wore on, Kronos received a prophecy about his new children. The prophecy declared that one of them would defeat him. Fearful for his kingdom and himself, he ate them all. Kronos hoped to stop the destruction of his most beloved people, but it did not work. Rhea, who was not aware of the prophecy, kept one of her children from Kronos. This child grew and eventually defeated Kronos._

 _This led to the end of the Golden Age. Mortals lived in fear of these new rulers. The Olympians, as they called themselves, hated mortals and monsters. The monsters proved faithful as they served the Olympians as they had the Titans. The mortals, however, were useless._

 _The Olympians used them as means of enjoyment; from that came demigods. These demigods intrigued Tepas and his children. They were hybrids, like themselves. Tepas befriended the strongest demigod, a son of Zeus._

 _They remained friends for a very long time, even after the mortals proved marginally useful to the Olympians (the mortals only inflated the egos of the gods). Tepas and the son of Zeus lived among the mortals, helping them progress. It was a slow process, but the mortals learned quickly. The monsters were the ones who had defended the mortals from the Olympians, and so the mortals had accepted them gratefully. However, the demigods were half-Olympian, and they were not as well accepted._

 _Even so, all lived in peace._

 _Until that one day, that Zeus acted from his anger and jealousy. Zeus hated the monsters and especially Tepas. Tepas was his son's friend, and a son of Tartarus. That, in Zeus' mind, made him the enemy. So on this day, Zeus went to his son's family and murdered them. When his son found them all dead, Zeus blamed it on Tepas._

 _The son of Zeus, greatly angered by this, went to Tepas. Tepas tried to convince him of his innocence, but he wouldn't listen. Zeus' son killed Tepas, who didn't even try to defend himself against his friend._

 _Tartarus knew immediately that his son was dead, and the earth shook as he mourned. The monsters left the mortals, and ran away from the Olympians in fear as the demigods tried to kill them all. Before any other monsters died, Tartarus gave them his eternal blessing: so that every monsters' essence would return to him and be reborn. That way, Tartarus would never have to feel the pain of his offspring dying again._

 _The demigods, driven by the false image of mortal-eating monsters, tried to slaughter them all. The monsters only returned, maybe a few years or decades later, to fight again. The never-ending cycle began, and the Olympians only watched in anger, not aware that it had been their own who had killed the mortals._

 _The rivalry of monster verse demigod continued through the ages, never ending._

That was their story. That was their future.

 **Hey guys, its Scaevus. Sorry for the longer wait, I started school. It's my junior year, and I already have three papers to write. Oh well. Updates will take a little longer, depending on my time and inspiration, but thank you for all who reviewed! I love you guys so much! Please, continue to read, follow/favorite and review! Thanks and forever love you all,**

 **Scaevus**


	6. Chapter 6

Reyna pinched the bridge of her delicate nose. "So what you're saying, Percy, is that you want Rome to defy the gods' wishes?"

Percy and Ally had been in Praetor Reyna's office for quite a while. They had to explain their journey and their purpose at New Rome before telling her about the monster's goals. Percy could not go into depth about the Order's plans or anything, but he covered a good amount. Reyna had taken the news fairly well.

Percy patience was truly being tested. He just wanted to make Reyna believe, but it was taking a long time. He had dealt with this before, down in Tartarus, when he was convincing elder deities to join the Order's cause. Reyna was taking exceptionally long.

"Not exactly." Percy didn't want to push Reyna away, and he knew that she wouldn't ally herself and Rome with him if she thought that Rome would be going against the gods. "I have not traveled to Olympus yet."

Reyna was now looking thoughtful, and it took her a second before she replied. "You are planning too, though. When?"

"Depends on how long it takes for the Camp Half-Blood and Jupiter to respond."

Reyna drilled her gaze into Percy. "You always seem to bear the most interesting news. But you are asking Rome to essentially defy the gods' wishes." She raised her hand as Percy tried to cut in. "Even if you are not sure what the gods have decided yet, we could be going against them. This is not something I can decide alone."

The whole time, Ally was sitting next to Percy in silence. Currently, she was watching Reyna for a glimpse of her emotions-Percy knew that Ally wanted to know how the praetor was feeling about all of this.

Reyna's face was impassive, her dark eyes fixated on her colorful bowl of jellybeans. The clock in the far corner of the room ticked, the only sound in the vast room. Her metal dogs lay at her feet, watching Percy and Ally in utter silence. Percy was wary of their abilities to decipher lies.

"Percy, I don't know if we can commit to your cause at this time." Reyna's gaze was unyielding, and Percy could not find any hint of emotion in her eyes. "I will bring this to the Senate. Only they can make that decision. Until that happens, you are welcome to stay in New Rome. I know that Frank and Hazel will be glad to see you. They have a daughter, Rye."

Percy couldn't fight her decision, so he forced a gracious smile and stood. "Thank you for your time, Praetor. We will enjoy our stay."

Ally was eyeing the two of them carefully, but she stood next to Percy. "It was wonderful meeting you, Praetor Reyna. I look forward to our future conversations." Ally smiled warmly at Reyna.

Reyna pushed a smile on her face and she stood as well. "I'm sorry that I can't promise more, Percy."

Percy shook his head. It was better not to push the issue. "It will be fine, Reyna."

"Then let me lead you to New Rome. I happen to know where Frank and Hazel might be at this moment."

Reyna led them down a cobblestone road to the glorious city, pointing out sights as they traveled. Percy nodded and smiled, as he had seen it all before, but Ally was astounded by it all. She was bursting with questions, and Reyna was pleased to answer them. Percy was happy to be left to his thoughts. He wasn't sure if he was particularly happy to see his old friends. After all, he was positive they would question him about Tartarus, and last time that happened nothing had gone well. Sure, it would be exciting to see how they were doing, but in all honesty, Percy was nervous.

Reyna led them to a beautiful city home, and Percy could see Hazel through the windows. She wasn't facing him, but he knew it was her. She was playing with her daughter, who seemed to be a perfect mix of her and Frank. Her daughter was giggling and trying to burst the bubbles that Hazel was blowing all over her head. Percy's heart twisted.

Next to him, Ally's face remained passive. Percy knew that she wanted this more than anything-a happy family with kids and a bright future. Percy wanted to give that to her.

Reyna knocked on the door, and smiled at Percy and Ally. "Good luck. I won't be able to stay because I have plenty of work in my office."

Percy could hear Hazel taking to her daughter, and she began to open to door. Percy's heart leapt in to his throat, and suddenly he couldn't breathe. Hazel stood there, a glorious smile on her face. Her curly hair was pulled back and her gorgeous daughter clung to her leg.

"Reyna." Hazel's voice was warm and pleasant. Percy couldn't move. "Frank's out running an errand. He'll be back soon, if you want to come in-?"

Hazel stepped back to let her in, but Reyna chuckled. "No, I don't need Frank today. In fact-"

Percy stepped out from behind Reyna, and Hazel's golden eyes met his. There was a moment of silence, and Percy drank in the image of Hazel. Then Hazel gave a sob and flung herself into his arms, which Percy was glad. Hazel felt warm, and smelled like cinnamon. She shook gently in his arms, and when she looked at him again, her eyes were brimming with salty tears.

"Percy." She stepped back, and simply studied his body. "You're alive."

Rye, Hazel's precious little girl, tugged at her dress. "Mommy?"

Hazel's eyes flickered down, and a wide smile revealed her white teeth. "What is it baby?"

Rye's eyes were wide as she glanced at Percy. "Why's Mommy sad?"

Hazel wiped away another tear. "I'm not sad, sweetie. I'm happy. Very happy."

Hazel lifted Rye and pointed to Percy. "That's my friend, baby. Percy, this is Rye, my daughter."

Percy smiled at Hazel's daughter, and he noticed that she had the same eyes as Hazel-a burning gold.

"My name is Percy. I met your mother a few years ago." Rye was quiet, and seemed to never take her gaze of Percy. Percy's heart swam in love and protectiveness for Hazel's innocent little baby.

Hazel seemed to notice Ally. "Empousa." The word came out of her lips like venom. "Percy-"

Percy laid a hand on Ally. "This is my friend, Ally."

Hazel held her daughter closely, working her jaw around. Ally shuffled her feet. "Please, I'm not going to hurt your daughter. I promise."

Hazel's eyes flickered to Percy, and Percy could see her free hand on her sword. Ally looked at Rye. "I swear on the river Styx that I will not hurt your daughter Rye, Hazel."

Thunder rumbled and Hazel seemed to relax a little. "Please, come in." she murmured, watching Ally with a newfound curiosity. Percy and Ally stepped around Hazel and Rye and entered her house. It was a beautiful townhouse, with ornate furniture and plenty of New Roman features in the building. Percy admired the architecture of the house.

Hazel led them into the kitchen, and Rye wriggled out of her arms and scampered over to a collection of her toy trains on the carpet. Rye began to make the train tracks, and Percy tore his gaze from her to Hazel. Hazel was watching them, her shimmering eyes studying Percy and Ally intensely.

"Ally, is it?" Hazel directed her gaze specifically toward the empousa.

Ally nodded. "And you're Hazel. It's wonderful to finally meet you," Ally responded politely.

Hazel seemed to accept Ally's presence, and she smiled, shaking her head at Percy. "How did you ever get to befriend an empousa, Percy?"

Percy smirked. "Everyone keeps on asking that. I don't find it that surprising. Ally is my friend, just like you and Frank."

Hazel shrugged, and instead began to rummage through her fridge. "How's Annabeth? Have you visited her yet?"

Percy glanced at Ally, who was watching him and biting her lip nervously. "Uh…I have seen her, actually."

Hazel pulled out a golden bottle. "Sparkling ambrosia, anyone?"

Percy blinked. "Sparkling _ambrosia_?"

Hazel grinned and poured them three glasses. "You wouldn't believe it! The Stolls put together their creativity to start a business. One day they sold us some, and wow, it's amazing! We asked them what it was, and they said it was a little ambrosia mixed with something else! The rest of the recipe is a big secret, but this stuff is crazy amazing. It's all the rage in the godly world."

Percy inspected his drink, aware that Hazel was grinning like crazy at him. The liquid itself glimmered gold, and there were tiny crystalline bubbles that made the whole drink beautiful. It smelled good; a scent Percy couldn't really describe. He looked at Ally, and she shrugged.

"Cheers, Percy." Ally raises her glass, and they both took a sip at the same time.

Flavor exploded on his tongue-flaming hot and icy cold. It burst and swirled across his tongue, smooth and sharp. When he swallowed, he could feel it go down his throat, and rest in his stomach. His body felt warm and cool. His nerves sparked like crazy, making him feel-it was indescribable.

"Dammit, this is-this is fucking great!" Ally sputtered, staring at the drink incredulously.

Percy had to agree. Hazel was nearly bouncing with excitement from her own drink, and she giggled at Ally's response. "Isn't it great? I'm just in love with it! Actually, that's what Frank went out to get. This is our last bottle."

Percy drank a bit more, savoring the taste. "How did the Stolls come up with this?"

Hazel shook her head. "I have no idea. I do know that they are trying to make a version of it for mortals, but without the ambrosia. I don't know how they'll achieve it, but then again, they did do this." Hazel motioned to the golden bottle. "I wish I could have an unlimited supply."

Percy and Ally followed Hazel's lead as she brought them outside to the patio and sat down. Hazel sipped her drink again. "So, are you aware of the Expansion Movement?"

Percy and Ally shared a look. "No, we haven't heard anything about it."

Hazel put her drink down. "Ah. Well, it started a few months ago. From what Frank tells me, the government of New Rome wants to, well, expand. They want to build more demigod cities and erect borders similar to the ones around Camp Half-Blood and New Rome." Hazel frowned. "It's a good idea. I'm surprised they have never done something like this before. It would certainly create more jobs."

Percy set his drink down. "That's…an interesting proposition. Has the Movement passed yet?"

Hazel stared out upon the city of New Rome. "It has reached the Senate, but they it's still in discussion. From what Frank has shared with me, it should pass soon-"

There was the sound of a door closing from inside the house, and Rye gave an enthusiastic cry. "Daddy!"

Hazel put her drink down on the table and smiled. "Frank is home sooner than expected." She glanced at Percy. "Oh, I will enjoy his reaction."

She winked at Percy as Frank came into view. He set the bag of Sparkling Ambrosia on the counter. From what Percy could tell, Frank hadn't changed much. He had a bit more muscle on him, but besides that he was pretty much the same. He was wearing a purple Camp Jupiter shirt and jeans.

"Hazel?" He turned and his eyes landed on Percy and Ally. "P-Percy?" He sputtered.

Percy stood up, and Frank hugged him tightly. "Percy! You're alive!" From behind him, Percy could hear Hazel's laugh.

Frank let go of him and merely checked him over. "How in Pluto did you escape?"

Percy smirked. "That is a long story. Do you have time?"

Frank snorted. "It's been two years, of course we have time! Sit down, I'll pour myself a cup of Sparkling Ambrosia-have you tried it? It's amazing!" Percy chuckled, and Frank blushed red and quickly disappeared in the kitchen. "Of course you've tried some, haven't you? Hazel would've been all over you until you had some."

When Frank came back he nearly dropped his glass at the sight of Ally, which he had somehow missed before. Percy explained that Ally was his friend, and Hazel helped vouch for her by telling him what vows she had already made.

Eventually everyone was situated on the patio and Frank calmed down enough to let Percy explain himself. Percy told them everything he could, from the Order of the Dark Moon to the incident at Camp Half-Blood. He explained his purpose in New Rome, and Frank listened quietly. When Percy had finally finished his tale, they sat in silence for a little while.

"So," Frank began. "You're like the Prince of the Pit now?"

Percy nodded. Frank was looking at the New Rome skyline, towards the setting sun.

"I wish I could have returned sooner, but there was a lot going on down there."

Frank visibly swallowed, and Percy snuck a glance at Ally. Ally was looking nervous, though she gave a small smile to Percy. Hazel was watching Frank, tightening her grasp on his arm.

"Percy, you do realize that you are basically an enemy of demigods now, right?"

"I am the middle ground between demigods and monsters." Percy replied smoothly.

Frank ran his hand through his hair. "Will you hurt my daughter?"

Percy felt the twinge of betrayal in his chest as Frank spoke to him. Frank didn't trust him, which Percy could understand, but it still hurt. They had been friends for a long time. _You were friends longer with Annabeth and look at what she did to you,_ Percy thought.

"I would never hurt your daughter." His voice was firm, and Frank found no fault in it because he nodded.

"Reyna is letting you stay? And _her_?"

Percy nodded. The 'her' tried to remain stoic as the conversation reached her and her bloodlines. "Yes, and I will present my case before the Senate soon."

Frank groaned. "Why do you always get into such complicated situations, Percy?"

Percy laughed. "I think they like me."

Frank smiled. "It's good to have you back. You can stay here, with us."

They stood up, and Percy smiled at the couple gratefully. "Thank you."

XxXx

Percy sipped his cup of hot chocolate in the café, smiling at the legacy who passed by his table. His stay at New Rome had been wonderful, and his case with the Senate has gone wonderfully. They had just finished, and the final vote would be coming in tomorrow. Percy was slightly nervous. If they rejected it, then Percy would have to go through such a long process to attempt it again.

If they succeeded, then Percy would revisit Camp Half-Blood. With one camp in favor, Camp Half-Blood would certainly join as well. Then, Percy thought with a grin, they would breach Olympus.

Of course, her would never say it like that to any demigod or legacy, because they would surely label him a traitor and ship him off to Tartarus. Then the situation would get complicated, and demigods and legacies would have to die. Percy never wanted that, so he would keep his thoughts to himself.

"Oh, Percy!" Ally sat down next to him, her pale face flushed with excitement. "I met this daughter of Venus, her name is Chloe, you know. She said she would give me a makeover tonight! I don't know what that it, but she wasn't scared of me at all! She was actually nice."

Percy smiled, even wider than he was before. Things were already changing, the gods would have to be blind not to notice. "That's wonderful, Ally."

Ally looked very pleased, and she ordered a latte from the waitress when the girl passed their table. Ally had quickly found a love for coffee during their stay.

"I can't wait, Percy. This is just too good to be true."

Percy didn't want to remind her that their stay would end soon. He didn't want to remind her that they would be going back to Camp Half-Blood. He didn't want to take her back to Tartarus, but his stone wasn't giving him enough strength anymore. He didn't want to tell her anything that would make her sad, but she couldn't stay like this forever. Ally was an empousa, and she had duties down in Tartarus that she had to fulfill. Percy couldn't ignore that either.

"Ally," he began slowly. The empousa focused on him, and she grew serious.

"Something has happened, hasn't it?" Ally frowned. "Was it the Senate?"

Percy shook his head. Thankfully, the waitress came with Ally's latte. Ally sipped from it slowly, her eyes never leaving Percy's face.

"It was not the Senate. They have yet to make a decision."

He wanted to say more, but his throat and mouth were oddly dry. Ally huffed. "Say more, Percy. Come on, I want to know."

Percy swallowed forcefully. "We have to leave soon. No matter what the Senate decides, we will have to go back to Camp Half-Blood."

Ally winced. "I did forget. I'm sorry, Percy."

"No, I'm sorry. Rome makes you happy, and now you have to leave."

Ally laughed, leaving Percy quite puzzled. "Percy, you are my lord, whether you want that title or not. I do as you command me, and during our journeys I have begun to forget my place. I am here to serve you, and nothing more. Thank you for regarding my happiness so highly, but that is not why I am here. I am here for you, and you only."

Percy felt a lump rise in his throat. He had such loyal friend, and Percy could never ask for anything more. "Ally, thank you."

Ally smiled. "It is my duty, my lord."

She winked at him, and together they enjoyed the wonderful California weather.

 **Well, I have to apologize. Life happens, and I…have no excuses. Sorry. Still, I hate it when authors never finish, and after so long of not writing, I figured-what the heck? So here I am. I had this chapter half-finished a long time ago, I just never finished. It is shorter than the others, because I finally decided that this was better than nothing, so here you go. I still love you guys.**

 **Please review. Even if you tell me how much of a loser I am.**


	7. Chapter 7

This place, the place where he had breathed, walked and lived for the past few days, even smelled of freshly baked bread. Like the warm, buttery fresh-out-of-the-oven rolls that made your mouth water. It was a funny smell; one that Percy still wasn't quite used too. He didn't really focus on it, except in times like these, when his stomach was tying and untying itself in knots. It was the delicious smell of food: living and breathing demigods.

He lay in his bed, running his hand through his wind tousled dark locks. His feet hurt, his back ached, and his eyes threatened to close from fatigue. His whole body weighed heavily with exhaustion. It was so painful, especially as every breath scraped against his ribcage. Every tiny movement sent waves of pain throughout his body. Unfortunately, if Percy wanted to visit his friends Above, this is what he had to endure.

The once beautiful glimmering Tartarus stone was now dull, the unique energy it contained leeching away into Percy's body. The wonderful, bittersweet curse of power. His eyelids sunk lower again, and his head was swimming with dreams. But he didn't want to dream. He didn't want to fall asleep, because he knew he would never wake up. Without that energy, that dark energy from the Pit, he was nothing. His body would wither away.

So Percy forced himself to stay awake, even though it only took more energy from the stone. Ally was getting her makeover from Chloe, something she had been dying to do. And Percy was dying just waiting for her. Quite literally, actually. He watched, his mind in a fevered haze, as the sunlight on his floor grew shorter with the setting sun. Shadows grew, giving him a second wind, and the stars appeared in the night sky.

The door to his flat burst open, and Percy's eyes lazily looked from his lashes to see who it was. Golden, shimmering eyes peered at his face, crinkling with concern. They were set amongst a sea of dark skin, almost glowing in the musty, low-lit room. Percy looked like shit. There was no denying it. He couldn't even sit properly; instead his body leaned against the bedpost, slumped towards the ground. His ragged breaths sounded sickly; as his lungs rumbled with every intake and release of air.

Unfortunately, it was in these moments that Percy felt the Hunger. It was the only way to describe the desire for food. It was the only way monsters truly survived in the Above. The blood of the demigods who walked the Above fueled their strength, giving them life. It was why monsters attacked demigods. It was why Percy's brain was becoming muddled, as the scent of Hazel's demigodness filled his nostrils.

"Oh my gods, Percy." Her hand brushed his forehead, and he reached up, fumbling to push it away. He couldn't stay near her, not now. There was so little time left, he was losing his fight against the desire to feed.

"Don't-" He croaked. "I'm waiting-waiting for-" _Ally. Where was she again?_ He thought blearily, struggling to push his body up straight again. _She must be getting back soon. It's getting dark._

"Shhhh, don't move." Hazel soothed. "Are you sick?"

She frowned, feeling his cool skin with the back of her palm. Percy emitted a brittle laugh. He wheezed; wincing as the pain spread again. There was something funky going on. The more he resisted the desire to feed, the less in control he felt. It was like the stronger his will was, the more he lost his sanity. He could feel his sane thoughts slipping away like eels, hiding in dark crevices in his mind.

Hazel had to know about his curse. He couldn't hold that it any longer. She was his friend, supposedly, so she wouldn't reveal anything. Right? "It's my curse Hazel," he finally rasped. "I can't leave the Pit."

Deciding to show her, his fingers slipped under his shirt, shaking as he pulled out the dull, dark stone. "I need this. Without it, I die."

As the words left his mouth, Hazel's eyes widened in horror. Percy's brain slowly realized what he had just done. He couldn't tell her. She would tell the others. He wasn't supposed to tell her. What was he thinking? Percy grabbed her hand, pulling her close. Hazel gasped as she was brought to her knees, trying to escape his tremendous strength.

"Swear to me-" He whispered. His voice was so weak. "Swear it on the Styx that you won't tell anyone."

Hazel, whose sweet soul prohibited her from saying no, crouched down next to him. Her beautiful eyes filled with tears, almost spilling down her cocoa skin. Her hands rested atop Percy's, and she blinked quickly.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded.

Hazel wiped away her tears. "I swear then. I swear on the River Styx I won't share your secret unless you allow me too."

Percy sank into the bedpost, closing his eyes with relief. "I have to go soon."

He couldn't hold himself up any longer. His body collapsed onto the bed, buckling under exhaustion. Seconds, maybe minutes or hours later, he heard Ally's voice, whispering from the darkest edges of his mind. The touch of her hands guided him back to consciousness, and his eyes opened the tiniest crack. They were in the field, standing before the River surrounding New Rome. He couldn't remember its name now.

"Open the portal, Percy." Ally whispered. Her gentle hands cupped his face. She looked extra beautiful tonight-her eyes were lined with eyeliner and her lashes painted in mascara. Every beautiful thing about her seemed enhanced, and her lovely pale skin glowed in the moonlight. "Take us home."

His hands found the sword at his side, and he leaned heavily on Ally as he tried to stand. His arms shook dangerously, and the sword almost slipped from his grasp, but he thrust it into the ground. The ancient powers bestowed upon him split open the earth, straight down to the very hell of monsters.

A gust of stale, sulfuric air burst forth from the crevice, filling Percy's craving lungs. He took a deep breath, inhaling the smell of home and security. Ally held him close, maneuvering him onto her back, whispering assurances. "Almost there, Percy. You did a good job."

He tried to speak, but his tongue felt swathed in cotton. Everything was muddled, and his vision was becoming blurry. But Ally was here. He fell into the beloved darkness, comforted by the faint scent of Tartarus, the reminiscent smell of home.

XxXx

Percy woke in his room, covered in dark silk sheets. At the end of his bed, Lady Nyx occupied a lovely black sofa, perched like a model. Her dark eyes scanned his body, and finally she stood. Her hair was coiled in an elegant up-do atop her head, several perfectly curled strands framing her face beautifully. Another masterfully gorgeous, midnight blue dress revealed her perfectly formed body.

She rested at his bedside, her eyes revealing her concern. "Perseus," she finally said, smoothing his hair down with a manicured hand. "Why did you wait so long to return? You knew the consequences."

Percy sat up. He felt better, much better, in fact. He flexed his muscles, enjoying the feeling of control and strength. With a wave of his hand, his crown appeared on his head and his clothes on his body. He stretched like a cat, sliding out of the bed gracefully.

"Perseus-" Lady Nyx protested. "Please, can you-"

Percy rolled his eyes, holding up his hand to stop her. He slid his feet into the soft leather boots, and retrieved his new Tartarus stone pendant from the bedside table, slipping it over his neck. Lady Nyx seemed peeved that Percy was ignoring her as she following him out of the Order's headquarters.

"Perseus, I am not finished."

He finally stopped at the great steps, running his hand through his hair. Percy turned to face Lady Nyx, his eyes flashing. "I was stupid, I know. I'm always that stupid person, who scrapes by with bare luck. But I don't care. I stayed up there not just because of Ally, but because I was waiting for a decision from the Senate. That's the reason I was sent up there. I was doing my job, the one you guys assigned me."

By the end of his rant, Percy was breathless. He looked at Nyx, expecting some form of retaliation, but she just smiled at him. It was unusual, seeing the Lady of everything dark and gloomy smile. It was like the sun becoming the moon. Absolute craziness.

"Perseus, I'm not mad at you." She was shaking her head, allowing her pinned up hair to let a few strand loose. Percy watched her in fascination. "I'm glad you were dedicated to you task, it's something the Council will respect. However, it only proves that the surface is a dangerous place for you."

Percy scowled. "I have legions of monsters to defend me. I have defeated gods and titans alike, even giants!" His hands rolled into fists as anger bubbled in his stomach. "I can handle the surface. I've survived this long."

Lady Nyx was quiet for a heartbeat longer, quietly regarding him with her dark eyes. "Remember to control your emotions. You must appear strong, Perseus."

With a sigh, Percy let his anger dissolve. "I apologize."

"No worries," Lady Nyx quipped. "But if you want to be a god, you must act like one."

Before Percy could snap back that he wasn't a god, Lady Nyx laughed. "Or Prince, in your case."

Lady Nyx gracefully left the room, her hand trailing the doorframe. "Good luck, my Prince."

In a rush of shadows, she was gone.

Percy leaned against the wall. Of course, he had been amazingly stupid. He was supposed to be above such heroics, and hopefully master the art of being the Prince, but apparently he had not. As frustrating as it was, it was another reminder that Percy needed to remain under the surface more. Possibly every night, he should make the travel back down.

Here in the dark stone, he felt himself becoming more proper, more like the Prince he was. It was stunning, honestly, the way Tartarus affected him so much. The dark, spiky crown atop his head meant something to the beings down here, along with the signet ring on his finger. He couldn't ignore it.

There was a sad clench of hit gut as he thought of Ally. She would need to treat him like a Prince again. He couldn't let himself slip up, so there should be not more room for error.

Percy strode from his quarters, his goal in mind. He honestly knew it was time, even if he had been avoiding it for so very long. Lady Nyx was in the Council room; he could sense her presence. So were many others. He walked out of the Headquarters, summoning an arai to his side.

It bowed low, eyes never meeting his. "Take me to the Archive," Perseus ordered.

It bent to his will, taking him up in flight, and diving down to the deepest crevice of Tartarus. The air travel never bothered him down here, mostly because it was still his territory. It was actually quite pleasant now, the rush of wind around his face, the weightlessness. He liked it. If only he could have done it before, without Zeus' interactions.

The aria landed in front of the entrance to the Archives, shuffling nervously. "Do you require anything else, my lord?" It rasped.

Perseus inspected the entrance, the cause of the arai's nervousness. Something deeply evilly resided in the cave, as ancient and powerful as Gaea. Perseus wasn't scared, for some odd reason. He could tell that whatever was in there would give him was he was seeking.

"You are released," Perseus murmured, and the arai took flight quickly.

Jagged stones created teeth, shadows born from darkness, and ancient stone hid the beast from sight. Perseus ventured into the cave, feeling the water dripping from the stalagmites, almost like saliva. Wind rushed past him, fierce and cold. Perseus walked the faint path.

"So you finally arrive," spoke a deep, gravelly voice.

Perseus wasn't even surprised. He had heard from elders about this place, so ancient and magically enhanced, he was barely surprised that it spoke.

"Yes, I have come." He tried to see in the dark, but it was all consuming. There was nothing he could make out.

"Good," it hissed.

Then it fell silent. Another gust of wind burst from the depths. Perseus forged onward. "Where is it?"

"What you seek?" The voice rumbled. There was a tone of surprise. "I have it, of course."

Perseus stepped in a puddle, though his foot came out dry. "Yes, and where are you?"

It laughed. "Everywhere."

The stones around him shifted, releasing dust and crumbling stone. Perseus stumbled backwards, falling against a still rock. Light came from the stones at his command, and he watching as the ceiling reached downward, depositing a stone figure that turned into a man. Pebbles fell away to reveal dark purple eyes, and the stones revealing a long, black cloak. Shockingly enough, the man had an even more intricate copy of Perseus' crown, placed on top of corn-rowed black hair. The braids were encrusted with gold, silver, and jewels. His skin was darker than night, every so often splitting to reveal burning lava.

"Who are you?" Perseus asked, his heart twisting in a rabbit race in his chest.

"I am older than time," the thing said. His voice still echoed around them, shaking the stones they stood on. "I was never given a name at the time of my creation, but later, they called me Tartarus."

Perseus sunk to the ground. "You are the King of the Pit."

Tartarus looked amused. "I always was. And you are its Prince."

Perseus dipped his head. "I was given the title."

"No," Tartarus rumbled. "You were born the Prince."

He created two chairs, more like thrones, and motioned for Perseus to sit. He did, confused as to what Tartarus was saying. Tartarus watched Perseus through purple eyes, and Perseus sat in the throne. Summoning two glasses, Tartarus poured Perseus a glass of sparkling Ambrosia.

"I have picked this up from you," he explained. "I can see in your mind."

Perseus was silent, taking a sip of the drink.

"I guess I must explain." Tartarus downed his drink in one gulp. "You were given my mark in the womb, because I sensed something powerful in you, something no one else could see. Monster, gods, no one could sense my mark on you. That is why you were still attacked by your brethren, even at a young age. For that, I apologize.

"You are still Poseidon's son, even if you are a part of me. I have long searched Hades realm for my son's ghost, and I have not found him. Eventually, I discovered him in the surface, exploring and haunting his favorite sights during his waking years. So I took him back here, capturing him in a jar. I stored him in the depths of this cave and tested many, many creatures for the right to bear his soul. Every one failed, and you almost did."

He reached behind him, drawing up a small jar. It was black, bearing the simple empty dark sun, the mark of Tartarus. Perseus watched it in awe. Of course, he could feel it drawing to him, begging him to touch it, to join with it. Whispers began in his head, murmuring and muttering in the background of his thoughts.

"You want me to join with him," Perseus said. He reached out, taking the jar from Tartarus' hands.

Tartarus watched them mingle. It had been his goal, after all, to take this soul. It was his duty as Prince to take the memories and soul of his predecessor. But was he ready? Before, he was scared. He was so scared of what it would do to him. But now there was nothing. No feelings for him to sort through. Only curiosity.

"Take him," Tartarus said. "Take him."

Perseus felt his hands moving, as if he was a puppet controlled by strings. The lid was off, and the dark musty soul slithered into being. It was glowing brightly, a cloud of something miraculous. Taking shape, it slithered up Perseus' arm, warm and cold. Then his shoulder. Was it really going to harm him? Would he fail to exist, or would they live together?

There was a certainly questionable look on Tartarus' face as the soul slipped around his neck. It was alike a snake, curvy and strong. But the soul was very smooth. And light. There was barely any weight to it all, for something that contained thousands and years of memories, that surprised him a little. And finally, it slipped through his mouth, causing him to shiver from the cold. Suddenly any warmth was gone. And it entered his mind

 **So after an extremely long wait, I utterly hate this chapter, but something must be posted. Sorry if it's terrible, I certainly agree that it's not my best. The chapter I had written before mysteriously vanished, and now I had to write a new one! Tragic. Anyways, I have been writing a book this past year, which is why I failed to update. The book is done, I just need to edit. Boring stuff, really. And so I hope you enjoy this quick update. It hope the next chapters will be better. I will probably change this one, so if I do I'll let y'all know. Have a wonderful day.**

 **~Scaevus**


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